William e



(No Model.)

W. R. LEONARD.

GASE FOB. SURGICAL OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS.

Patented Oct. 23, 1888.

WIT/M8858:

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N. PETERS. Phalmljihagnpher. Washin ton, D. c.

IlNiTED STATES .a'rniv'r mimics.

XVILLIA M R. LEONARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CASE FOR SURGICAL OR OTHER ENSTRUWIENT$.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No, 391,540,dated October 23. 1

Application filed June 13,1888. Serial No. 276,968. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. LEONARD, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cases for Surgical, Mathematical, and other Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in cases for surgical, mathematical, and other in struments or apparatus, and has for its object to provide an economical casing in which the sides containing the instruments will remain flat and in good shape under all conditions,and wherein the clamps retaining the instruments in position will be adjustable, and, further, wherein the instruments may be elevated in the clamps and readily detached therefrom and the clamps carried to any desired angle with respect to the case.

The invention consists in constructing the case with rigid sides and in hinging or pivoting to said case a series of adjustable clamps adapted to receive the instruments, and in the construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the case open, containing a set of instruments. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one rigid side plate detached, illustrating the clamps hinged thereto and in a vertical position; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an auxiliary clamp secured to the side plates.

In carrying out the invention the case proper, A,is constructed ordinarily of leather, usually consisting of the sides A, the bottom or intermediate hinge-section, A end flaps, A and the side or cover flap, A. The preferred shape of the case is essentially rectangular; but I do not confine myself to this form, as the case may be made in variousshapes to suit a variety of tastes. In the sides of the case a rigid plate, 13, is insert-ed,whicl1 may consist of metal, hard rubber, celluloid, a composition of paper or compressed fiber,or other equivalent material. I prefer, however, to employ a metal plate. The plate B is ordinarily covered with leather, silk, cloth, or other suitable or desired mate rial, being usually inserted between the inner and outer faces of the sides and glued or otherwise secured thereto; or, if found desirable, when a pocket is formed in one side, the plate may constitute one wall of the same. A transverse hinged strip ofmetal, Z), is secured at one extremity of the side plates, adapted to fold down thereon or extend upward or outward therefrom at any angle, and to said strip a se ries of clamps or sockets, D, are hinged or pivoted, preferably the latter, as best shown in Fig. 2. By reason of this construction the several clamps or sockets may be adjusted either laterally or at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the side plates, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the said clamps or sockets being adapted to receive the handles of the several instruments. The clamps or sockets are usually constructed of a single piece of metal or other suitable materialsuch as horn or hard rubberstruck up or otherwise-manipulated to form horizontally-aligning ears (1 at the top and near the bottom, which ears are bent over upon the outer face, as best shown in Fig. 1. The backs of the sockets are preferably flat and smooth.

In addition to the sockets above described, auxiliary fixed clamps E may be employed, consisting of an essentially U-shaped piece of spring metal secured at the bow portion to the side plates. These fixed auxiliary clamps are so arranged upon the plates as to receive the neck of the instruments or other portion than the cutting-edges, as best shown to the left in Fig. 1.

It will be observed that the sockets. may be brought to a vertical position at right angles to the plate, as shown in Fig. 2, and, if desired, adjusted laterally, whereby any instrument may be conveniently and expeditiously extracted or replaced'without the fingers eoming in contact with the blade; and it will be further observed that the metal side plate effectually keeps the case in shape.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An instrument case having the clamps for holding the handles of instruments, which clamps are pivoted vertically and swing laterally, as specified.

2. An instrument-case having clamps which fixed to the same, substantially as shown and are hinged, as shown, and thus adapted to described. swing vertically, as specified. 5. In an instrument-case, the combination, r5 3. The combination, with the bed of an inwith a rigid bed-plate, of aseries of sockets 0r 5 strument-case, of sockets or clamps constructed clamps adapted to contain the instruments adof an essentially rigid material, pivoted to said justably pivoted to said plate, as and for the bed to move laterally, and hinged to swing verpurpose specified. tically, substantially as shown and described. 4. In an instrument-case, the combination, 10 with the bed and a rigid plate secured to said Vitnesses:

WILLIAM R. LEONARD.

bed, of aseries of sockets 0r clamps adj ustably J. F. AOKER, Jr., pivoted to said plate and auxiliary clamps EDGAR TATE. 

